


The Unfading Dawn

by Boreal1s



Category: Dungeons & Dragons - All Media Types, 더 게이머 | The Gamer (Webcomic)
Genre: Gamer Protagonist, How Do I Tag, Male Protagonist, My First AO3 Post, Other Additional Tags to Be Added
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-10
Updated: 2020-08-10
Packaged: 2021-03-06 00:41:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,981
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25814479
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Boreal1s/pseuds/Boreal1s
Summary: Sometimes, people die and they stay dead. Other times, people die and they come back to life. This time, Iroas died and was brought back as a Gamer. He is set upon the Multiverse with one goal: become as strong as he could. My first fic, please comment and tell me what I did right or wrong, or if you have questions or suggestions.
Kudos: 4





	The Unfading Dawn

**Author's Note:**

> This story is definitely inspired by The_Dark_Wolf_Shiro, and while I hope to eventually be able to emulate his masterful blending of characters and worlds (and the smut that caused 40% or more of us to click it in the first place), up until now I have only been a half decent author with motivation issues. I will endeavor to update this once a month from the last posting, but in reality I will post whenever I feel like I can call what I have done a chapter.

When I ‘woke up,’ I was greeted to the ‘sight’ of a world of white. I’m not sure what I am supposed to be seeing, but a world of white beats hellfire and brimstone, so I suppose it’s not too bad, all things considered. I noticed immediately when I tried to hold my arms up to look at myself, and when I looked down to see myself directly afterwards, that I didn’t have a body. Perhaps that should have surprised me more, after all I think I was the type of person who would have freaked out about something like not having a body. Whatever, it’s not like I should worry about not worrying.

**System Activation Complete!**

**Welcome, Gamer!**

If I had eyes, I know they would be twitching. This black text just scrolled out in front of me, and now it’s saying completely unreasonable things. How should I be reacting to this, exactly?

**To be honest, I wouldn’t know the answer to that. This is kinda my first time doing this, you know?**

******Anyways, that doesn’t matter too much! Welcome to the Gamer System!** **  
** ****

**I am your host, the Game! And you are the Gamer, who will undoubtedly bring us both glory until your inevitable death!**

...What? Why does my game seem like Claptrap? It’s so… happy, it’s honestly weirding me out. Well, I guess I should just find out what’s going on then.   
  


**At any rate, let’s get a move on, shall we? You don’t want to be stuck in this white, nameless void forever, after all!**

**I already gave you the starting stuff while I booted up the system, but now that the menu is initialized, you should be able to see it just fine!**

  
  


**Skill Added**

**[Gamer’s Mind] (Passive)**

**Allows the User to calmly and logically think things through.** **  
** **Allows a peaceful state of mind.**

**Grants Immunity to psychological status effects.**

**Skill Added**

**[Gamer’s Body] (Passive)**

**Grants a body that allows the User to live real life like a game.**

**Skill Added**

**[Observe] (Active)**

**Provides information on the current target.**

**There you go! You can check those out if you want!**

The words fly across my vision, this ‘Game’s’ in the middle of my sight while the ‘Skills’ have popped up in the lower left hand corner of my view, where normally I would have trouble with peripheral vision. As I read through them carefully, I come to a rather simple conclusion: my lack of worry stems from  **[Gamer’s Mind]** . By giving me the ability to think logically, it has removed the panic and worry I might feel over such events as dying and not having a body. Rather efficient of it, all things considered.

**Thank you for the appreciation, Gamer! I have done my best to ensure that my partner will not have a mental breakdown over simple things like violently and gruesomely dying in a serial murder!** **  
** **…**

**I didn’t mean to say that last part. Please forget it.**

In all honesty, I don’t seem to care all that much, though, as that’s your own fault, I guess I should be mad at you for that as well? ...except I can’t do that either. Let’s just move on, maybe you can make less mistakes in the future.

**Thank you!**

**Moving on, let’s run you through the character creator!**

**Normally, you’d choose your name first, but whoever set up the system already has a name for you!**

**Now, onto the race!**

**...that’s what I would say if Human wasn’t autoselected and all the other options level-locked.**

Whoever set this up really likes the illusion of choice, apparently. So, I already have a name selected and my race is locked to Human? I suppose that makes sense in a way. What’s after those two?

**Ah-ah-ah, don’t rush the system! I have to actually select the race first!**

**Race Added**

**[Human] (LV 1/10)**

**You are a human, the same as your life before this.**

**Human’s aren’t amazing at much, but they tend to be average at everything!**

**Gain 10% bonus Class XP.**

**There you go! Now we can move onto the classes! The menu should pop up in front of you in a moment!**

**[FIghter] [Mage] [Rogue]**

This Game is way too cheerful for my liking. Either way, I look at the small pop up menu that has sprouted in front of me. The three choices are fairly simply, if completely unoriginal. If I want something better, I guess I would have to work for it? It makes sense, anyways. Thinking about the three of them, magic is cool, but I don’t think it should be a priority right now. Humans aren’t really known for being amazing at magic after all, maybe if I get a better race later, like Elemental or Elf? Food for thought. On the other hand, Rogues are a bit too underhanded for me. With all the thinking done, I reach my hand out, tapping  **[Fighter]** . 

**Class Added**

**[Fighter] (LV 0/50, 0%)**

**You are a physically inclined combatant, just starting out in the world of fighting.**

**Gain 5 STR and CON every level.**

**Skill Added**

**[Spear Proficiency - Novice] (Passive)**

**You know which end is pointy, even if you barely know how to poke someone.**

**You deal an additional 5+STR damage with Spears.**

**Skill Added**

**[Light Armor Proficiency - Novice] (Passive)**

**You can wear it, at least, though you won’t be running track in it.**

**Light Armor reduces damage taken by an additional 5+DEX damage.**

**Skill Added**

**[Shield Proficiency - Novice] (Passive)**

**You can use a shield, you might block something by luck.**

**Shield’s reduce damage taken while blocking by 5+CON damage.**

**Skill Added**

**[Power Thrust] (Active - Spear)**

**25 SP to cast**

**You thrust forward with all your might, dealing an additional 25+(STRx2) damage on a hit.**

**Skill Added**

**[Spear Throw] (Active - Spear)**

**50 SP to cast**

**You throw your spear at a target, dealing an additional 25+STR damage on a hit.**

Man, having that much knowledge crammed into your head at once is kinda painful. I mean, it’s not too useful, the Game is making it very clear I am a novice at this, but the attack skills at least will be very helpful, and the armor proficiencies wil help when I get in trouble. But, why am I locked to a spear? I thought from how fighter’s in games are it would be a sword?

**It’s because spears are regarded as a grunt weapon.**

**My designer thought it would be odd for someone to start with a sword, even if they would just be flailing about.**

**If you really want the sword, you just have to rush through the fighter class and then you can have it.**

**At any rate, you will gain new skills by leveling up your current Class, and once it is fully leveled, you will get advanced versions of your finished class.**

**You can also get skills by completing certain actions.**

It’s good to know what I have to aim for then. I don’t really care whether or not I can use a sword, but at least I know the reasoning now. So, then I just have to keep on leveling up? Sounds easy enough. What else happens before the game starts, then?

**I’m gonna show you how to access your character sheet, and then I have one other quick thing before I send you off! Don’t worry, it won’t take too long!**

**Iroas**

**Level - 1**

**Class - Fighter - LV 0/50, 0%**

**Race - Human - LV 1/10**

**Alignment - True Neutral**

**HP - 150 (CON x 10)**

**HP Regen - 30 per minute (CON x 2)**

**MP - 100 (INT x 10)**

**MP Regen - 40 per minute (WIS x 4)**

**SP - 150 (CON x 10)**

**SP Regen - 60 per minute (CON x 4)**

**STR - 15**

**DEX - 10**

**CON - 15**

**INT - 10**

**WIS - 10**

**CHA - 10**

**LCK - 10**

Iroas, really? That’s the name I was given? Where did he even find that?

**I’m not even sure, and I’m the Game. Creators do things like that, they like odd names.**

**At any rate, the last thing we have to do is a little random thing.**

**See, you can choose, if you want, to take a flaw! If you take a flaw, you are immediately given a boon! Unfortunately, normally you wouldn’t have to do it, but…**

Your creator set it so I have to do it at least once, didn’t he? He really likes the illusion of choice that much? Oh, whatever, just get on with it!

**Perk Added**

**[Magical Vulnerability)**

**You are weak to magical effects, they hurt a lot more than you would think.**

**You take an additional 25% damage from magical effects.**

**Perk Added**

**[Reaching for the Top]**

**You will never give up, and always strive to better yourself.**

**Whenever a stat increases, increase that stat by 2 more.**

Really? Of all the things I could have gotten? The number of worlds that have magical effects being commonplace is almost ridiculous, how am I going to do anything? You said I could go again, right? Maybe my next one will be better.

**Trait Added**

**[Challenger]**

**You are fiercely protective of your pride and place, and cannot refuse a challenge made to you.**

**Perk Added**

**[Always Get Back Up]**

**You cannot take defeat lying down, you must grow through loss.**

**After suffering a defeat of some kind, your next level up gives double the stat points.**

**Wow… I mean, it’s a little better, but man you got shafted by the randomizer.**

No need to rub it in, Game… I should just stop, who knows what will happen if I go further. I am already weak to magic and can’t turn away challenges, I really shouldn’t tempt fate.

**Well, I guess it’s time to go! I’m going to set you down in a dungeon first to get you ready for the real world and the brutality of combat! Let’s begin!**

**Skill Added**

**[ID Create] (Active)**

**Creates an Instant Dungeon.**

**Dungeons Available: [Spiders]**

**Instant Dungeon [Spiders] Initialized**

**25%**

**50%**

**75%**

**100%**

**Initialization Complete**

**Launching Dungeon**

  
  
  


**Iroas**

**Level - 1**

**Class - Fighter - LV 0/50, 0%**

**Race - Human - LV 1/10**

**Alignment - True Neutral**

**HP - 170 (CON x 10)**

**HP Regen - 34 per minute (CON x 2)**

**MP - 100 (INT x 10)**

**MP Regen - 40 per minute (WIS x 4)**

**SP - 170 (CON x 10)**

**SP Regen - 68 per minute (CON x 4)**

**STR - 17**

**DEX - 10**

**CON - 17**

**INT - 10**

**WIS - 10**

**CHA - 10**

**LCK - 10**

  
  


**Instant Dungeon [Spiders]**

**Quest Added**

**[Tutorial - Combat]**

**Objective - Kill 1 Spider-type creature**

**Reward - Crude Wooden Spear, Crude Wooden Shield, Crude Hide Armor**

As the caves appeared around me, I read the quest and began to realize something. He never game me my equipment! I was extremely irritated before I felt a soothing sensation in the back of my head. The anger faded, replaced with dull acceptance. “Well, I guess I’m gonna have to do it the hard way, then. The Game was oddly silent, but I didn’t think on it too much as I moved forward. The caves I was in only had one way to go. The hallway I advanced down was dimly lit with torches, and I could clearly see the cobwebs as I hurried on. The sooner I found that spider, the sooner I could actually get some equipment.  I began to pick up the pace, lightly jogging forward. As I came to the entrance of an area where the cave widened, I stepped through looked ahead of me. It wasn’t too much wider than the hall I was just moving through, thought it was slightly better lit, and the ceiling was covered in cobwebs. I even saw the token large spider egg and wrapped up corpse, they look much less interesting in real life. As advanced, I suddenly felt a weight on my back and then a sharp pain in my shoulder.

**-35 HP**

**You are now [Poisoned]**

**-2 HP**

As those notifications flashed across my screen and I stumbled from both the pain and the weight, I put my hands behind me and pushed, my hands meeting resistance from something slightly hairy and spindly. I watched my HP slowly tick down as I wrestled with the monster, before I managed to dislodge it from my back. Quickly running away and turning around, I saw the beast lying on the floor of the cave, struggling to right itself. Almost instantly, I fired off Observe.

**Giant Spider - LV 5 - HP 390/400**

Oh god, this is going to be much harder than I thought. I scrambled along the ground, trying to find a large rock or anything I could use as a weapon against this thing. It took a bit, but as my opponent had not managed to turn itself over yet, I was able to grab a particularly sharp piece of stone and chip it off the floor. With my makeshift weapon in hand, I ran after the overturned beast, fear and determination allowing me to bring the rock downward with a vicious slam.

**Giant Spider - HP 373/400**

It let out a screeched, and its health fell such a miniscule amount that I was sure it would right itself before I finished it. I began to bring down the stone faster and harder, feeling the cracking of the exoskeleton and the spray of its blood and guts as I began to ravage it. It screeched and clawed at me, but it couldn't get up or escape with the constant beating I was giving it. After several minutes, I finally managed to finish it, the poison having run out and leaving me with a measly 37 hit points. I was huffing, both me and my stone covered in blood and guts, as I moved back and sat down. The now welcome black text of the Game scrolled across my screen.

**Sorry, I had to leave for a minute, there was an error that the system couldn’t resolve itself.**

**So, you managed to kill your first monster, eh? Congrats!**

**Here’s your equipment, as promised!**

**Quest Complete!**

**[Tutorial - Combat]**

**Objective Complete - Kill one Spider-type creature**

**Rewards - Crude Wooden Spear, Crude Wooden Shield, Crude Hide Armor**

**Item Added**

**[Crude Wooden Spear]**

**A makeshift spear which could fall apart at any moment.**

**Deals 5+STR piercing damage.**

**Item Added**

**[Crude Wooden Shield]**

**A makeshift shield which could shatter at any moment.**

**Reduces damage taken by 5+CON when blocking.**

**Item Added**

**[Crude Hide Armor]**

**A patchwork set of armor made to be expendable.**

**Reduces damage taken by 5+DEX.**

I was too tired to care, honestly, but I cared a little bit more as my sudden exhaustion was stripped from me and I got a pair of notifications.

**Fighter’s level has increased! 0 - > 1**

**Fighter’s level has increased! 1 - > 2**

**Skill Added**

**[Parry] (Active)**

**100 SP to cast**

**You attempt to bat aside an opponent’s attack.**

**Block damage equal to your attack.**

**If the incoming attack would deal no damage, the opponent has a chance to be stunned.**

Well, that was actually pretty nice! I got a new skill, a bunch of stats, overall that's pretty good! I immediately equipped my new items, feeling much more at ease with weapons and armor, even as crappy as these are. They are all better than my rock, after all. I begin to advance forward further, towards the next hallway. The Game isn't talking, but I can feel its presence somewhat as another quest pops up in the same corner of my screen.

**Quest Added**

**[Tutorial - Dungeon Clearing]**

**Objective - Clear Floor 1**

**Bonus Objective - Defeat the Hidden Boss**

**Bonus Objective - Clear the floor while taking less that 200 Damage**

**Reward - [ID Escape] Skill Book, Random Item**

**Bonus Reward - 2000 XP, [Enhanced Human] Race option, Random Tier 2 Power**

**Bonus Reward - Gacha Token, Random Tier 1 Power**

Huh, that's a lot more than the last Quest. So there's a hidden boss somewhere? And I want to avoid damage, good thing I have **[Parry]** now, it will really help with the damage mitigation. I can only use it 3 times a minute however, so I should probably save it for the bigger enemies. As I continue down the halls, the cobwebs get thicker, to the point that I gave up trying to push them aside and grabbed a torch and simply set them alight. Eventually, I arrive at another open space, and as I enter it I see dozens of little eyes gleaming in the torchlight as they stare at me. At least thirty tiny spiders linger on the floor, perfectly still as if they are not sure how to react yet. The ground is littered in webs, and I doubt I could walk in there without them hindering me. I use Observe, just to see what I'm up against.

**Spiderling - LV 1 - 15/15 HP**

These things are weak individually, but if I had to guess they are pretty fast and hard to hit. Probably have some type of poison too, you never know with spiders. I go to enter the chamber, and then an idea hits me. My smile grows wide, almost vicious as I take the torch in my hand, swing it back, and release it as I watch it arc lazily into the mess of webs. Instantly they are caught alight, and I watch with glee as my plan plays out. The spiders begin to skitter, but the room is so covered in webs that the fire spreads before they can leave. I watch the experience count up as the room ignites in fire and smoke, the webs being burnt from the floor to the ceiling. I almost cackle at the sight.

**Fighter's level has increased! 2 - > 3**

**Fighter's level has increased! 3 - > 4**

**Skill Added**

**[Spear Proficiency - Adept] (Passive)**

**You figured out not to stick yourself with the pointy end, and are now a credible threat with a spear.**

**You deal an additional 10+(STRx2) damage with spears.**

I can feel the Game's approval, and I agree: that was quite the ingenious move there. Not a single point of damage taken, and a pair of levels! I continue to trudge on through the next rooms, taking a small bit of damage from some of the stronger enemies. Thankfully, the quest has a tracker, so I know I still have a ways to go. However, I leveled up several times from that, so I think the damage I took was worth it.

**Fighter's level has increased! 9 - > 10**

**Human's level has increased! 1 - > 2**

**Skill Added**

**[Arcing Strike] (Active - Spear)**

**50 SP to cast**

**You swing the spear in a long arc, dealing an additional STR damage to all enemies hit.**

**Skill Added**

**[Light Armor Proficiency - Adept] (Passive)**

**You can now take off the armor without assistance!**

**Light Armor reduces damage taken by an additional 10+(DEXx2).**

**Skill Added**

**[Shield Proficiency - Adept] (Passive)**

**You can now block the occasional arrow!**

**Shields reduce damage taken by an additional 10+(CONx2) while blocking.**

**Skill Added**

**[Stunning Strike] (Active - Spear)** ****

**75 SP to cast**

**You swing the handle of the spear, potentially stunning the target while dealing an additional 5+STR damage.**

**Racial Trait Upgraded**

**[Human] LV 2/10**

**You gain 15% increased Class XP.**

Well that's a whole lot to take in. So I got two new skills, and a stunning skill, so that's perfect for larger enemies. On top of that, additional experience from **[Human]** and stats from the level ups, and I'm already pumped up. As I enter into the the next room, prepared for whatever this dungeon might throw at me, I notice that there doesn't seem to be an exit from the room. On top of that, the second I entered the entrance behind me caved in. So I'm stuck in here now, huh? I ready my weapons for whatever is about to appear as the room rumbles around me. Then the floor in front of me explodes as I stumble away to avoid the creature. It looks to be a strange mix of a spider, a demon, and a mole. It glows a slight green, and has a large, toothy maw salivating hungrily to devour me. I cast Observe, and I almost instantly regret thinking I was ready for this dungeon.

**Vilemaw, the Dreaded Spider-Demon - LV 10 - 2000/2000 HP**

Instantly the creature charges me, much faster than it's frame would suggest it to be able to. I barely managed to hold up my shield and drift off to the side as the beast clips me and sends my flying to the ground.

**-90 HP**

Okay, this isn't funny anymore. It frees itself from the wall it had crashed into, and turns itself towards me, rushing forward with the same speed as before. This time I'm ready, and I manage to dodge out of the way, swinging my spear backwards in a **[Stunning Strike]**. As it dug itself out of the wall, I noticed that the strike had done exactly 75 damage, and the beast was definitely not stunned. I continued on with this game of cat and mouse, eventually abandoning the **[Stunning Strike]** that I had been using for normal attacks. Over the course of the next half hour, I managed to dodge it like a matador, eventually bringing it to rest in on the stone floor unmoving. It was marked with blood and its exoskeleton was cracked. I was exhausted, but I felt better for myself after I began to see the familiar flood of pop-ups.

**Fighter's level has increased! 10 - > 13**

**Skill Added**

**[Shield Bash] (Active - Shield)**

**You swing your shield, bashing it into an enemy for an additional STR damage.**

**Title Added**

**[Spiderbane]**

**You have killed 250 Spiders, and have become adept at the task!**

**You deal 50% extra damage to Spider-like creatures.**

**Perk Added**

**[Athletic Physique]**

**You are more likely to pass STR checks and saving throws.**

**Perk Added**

**[Tough Skin]**

**You gain an extra 5 HP per point of CON, and 1 point of HP Regen per point of CON.**

Now, all of that alone would be enough to get me pumped up. Seeing a whole bunch of pop-ups for level ups and skills and what-not really gets my blood pumping. But the Quest had also completed, and so more pop-ups insued!

**Quest Complete**

**[Tutorial - Dungeon Clearing]**

**Objective Complete - Clear Floor 1**

**Bonus Objective Failed - Defeat the Hidden Boss**

**Bonus Objective Complete - Clear the floor while taking less that 200 Damage**

**Reward - [ID Escape] Skill Book, Random Item**

~~**Bonus Reward - 2000 XP, [Enhanced Human] Race option, Random Tier 2 Power** ~~

**Bonus Reward - Gacha Token, Random Tier 1 Power**

I failed the hidden boss, unfortunately, but I don't know where it could have been! There wasn't any extra doors or hallways or anything like that throughout the entire place!

**Skill Added**

**[ID Escape] (Active)**

**Return to your previous location from inside an Instant Dungeon.**

**Item Added**

**[Crystal Spear]**

**A spear topped with a glowing crystal, it deals a small amount of force damage on hit.**

**Deals 30 + (STRx2) piercing damage + 5 force damage.**

**Item Added**

**[Gacha Token]**

**Use this token in the Gacha to get a random item!**

**Skill Added**

**[Hardened Skin] (Passive)**

**Your skin become hard like rock.**

**You take 5% reduced damage from all sources.**

You know what, after that fight? I think I'm just gonna wait before I found out what you threw me into. I need a nap.

**You know? I don't blame you, honestly.**

* * *

**Iroas**

**Level - 15**

**Class - Fighter - LV 13/50, 54%**

**Race - Human - LV 2/10**

**Alignment - True Neutral**

**HP - 1515 (CON x 15)**

**HP Regen - 303 per minute (CON x 3)**

**MP - 100 (INT x 10)**

**MP Regen - 40 per minute (WIS x 4)**

**SP - 1010 (CON x 10)**

**SP Regen - 101 per minute (CON x 4)**

**STR - 101**

**DEX - 10**

**CON - 101**

**INT - 10**

**WIS - 10**

**CHA - 10**

**LCK - 10**


End file.
